References

List of References – Safer Screetime Course:

 

Lesson 1: What a Child Truly Needs to Properly Develop

1. Some countries, like The Netherlands, Finland and Sweden, are leading the way by removing technology from the classroom, except for medical necessity and to teach technology skills in media labs.
2. For additional information on childhood development, please see Reconnect Webinars by pediatric occupational therapist Cris Rowan.

Lesson 2: Digital Dependency on the Rise

3. We have volumes of scientific studies now showing excessive screen time can cause harm
4. A useful resource is the AAP’s Family Media Plan.
5. For those struggling with screen-related mental health issues or digital addiction, see this short video Reset Your Child’s Brain.
6. For those not clinically addicted but recognizing the need to reduce screentime and add balance back into our lives, the Cleveland Clinic, a non-profit academic medical center, shows us how in How to Do a Digital Detox for Less Stress, More Focus.

Lesson 3: What is Wireless Radiation and Why Should I Care?

7. Cabled connections are not only safer, they are more reliable, faster, and more secure than Wi-Fi & mobile data.

Lesson 4. How Can I Save Energy?

8. Back in 2012 a Greenpeace analyst indicated if the “cloud” were a country, it would be the fifth largest consumer of energy in the world.
9. The IEEE Communications Magazine pointed out: “Wireless technologies will continue to consume at least 10 times more power than wired”.
10. Further, 5G is predicted to consume 3 times more energy than 4G!

Lesson 5. How is Your Mental Health?

11. See the Environmental Working Group fact sheet, “Effects of radiofrequency radiation on the nervous system”.
12. See also the paper “Microwave frequency electromagnetic fields (EMFs) produce widespread neuropsychiatric effects including depression“.
13. Those interested in sensitivity of the brain may also like to read “Threshold of radiofrequency electromagnetic field effect on human brain”.
14. If you suspect your child may be suffering from Excessive Screen Syndrome, see Dr. Victoria Dunkley’s book, Reset Your Child’s Brain: A Four-Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades, and Boost Social Skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen-Time.

Lesson 6. Have You Read the Legal Fine Print?

15. See Show the Fine Print.
16. See: Belyaev et al. (2022). Scientific evidence invalidates health assumptions underlying the FCC and ICNIRP exposure limit determinations for radiofrequency radiation: Implications for 5G. Environmental Health, 21(1), 92.

Lesson 7. What to Know About Personal Devices

17. Field strength drops off rapidly with distance from the device. However, technologies using low frequency pulsing (like Wi-Fi router with its 10 Hz beacon signal pulse) are considered very bioactive and disruptive to our cells even at rather low wireless radiation levels if the wireless antennas are left on.

Lesson 8. Technology: Taking Precautions

18. The Precautionary Principle is defined in a 2004 World Health Organization report.
19. In 2011, the Council of Europe adopted the ALARA Principle with regards to wireless radiation exposure, especially in schools.
20. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also recommend adhering to ALARA for radiation safety.

Lesson 9: No links.

Lesson 10: How Can I Use My Tablet and Laptop More Ergonomically?

21. Some devices have an Ethernet port; others may require you to purchase an Ethernet adapter.
22. The American Academy of Environmental Medicine recommends schools access the Internet through wired connections and avoid Wi-Fi.
23. See Tech Safe Schools for resources to help your schools transition to safe tech.
    Hansraj, K. K. (2014). Assessment of stresses in the cervical spine caused by posture and position of the head. Surgical Technology International, 25, 277–279.

Lesson 11. What About Wi-Fi Routers?

24. 24. Extensive research shows this Wi-Fi’s carrier wave with its low-level pulses are shown to be bioactive and possibly harmful.
    25. The German government recommends installing routers outside of classrooms, in hallways and preferring Ethernet-connections instead of Wi-Fi if possible.

This research paper shows that wireless radiation exposure to a child’s head and back increased up to 40-fold when surrounded by other children with laptops, due to cumulative emissions from all the nearby devices in a classroom. More distance is needed. Soares, N. E., Bulla, G., Fernández-Rodríguez, C. E., & Salles, A. A. A. de. (2025). SAR Estimations in a Classroom with Wireless Computers. Journal of Microwaves, Optoelectronics and Electromagnetic Applications, 24, e2025288526. “

Lesson 12. International Medical Recommendations

26. In 2012 a group of over 1,000 German doctors published the Freiburger Appeal, which called for substantially lowered international exposure standards to reflect non-thermal biological effects.
27. Since 2015, more than 250 wireless radiation experts from around the world  have formally requested that the United Nations intervene and lower exposure standards, due to the environmental risk, as part of the EMFScientist.org International Appeal.
28. In 2015, the Vienna Medical Association published 10 medical mobile phone rules.
29. In 2017, the Mediterranean country of Cyprus signed the nation-wide Nicosia Declaration on Electromagnetic and Radiofrequency Radiation.
30. Prestigious medical groups and individuals representing thousands of health care professionals signed on to the 2020 Consensus Statement of UK and International Medical and Scientific Experts and Practitioners on Health Effects of Non-Ionising Radiation (NIR).
31. In 2021 the Massachusetts Medical Society issued a policy statement recognizing the need to address safety limits of human exposure to radio frequency radiation.
32. More than 400 EMF scientists and doctors have signed the 5G Appeal to the European Union calling for a moratorium on the rollout of 5G.

Lesson 13. Cancer Studies

33. In 2011, the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer extensively analysed research published worldwide and classified the wireless radiation from wireless devices as ‘possibly carcinogenic,’ i.e., could cause cancer.
34. In 2018 a U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) study found wireless radiation caused DNA damage, and brain and heart tumours in rodents. Another large study by the Ramazzini Institute in Italy confirmed the same findings of cancer and DNA damage.
    WHO Review, Mevissen et al. (2025), Finds Cancer Risk in RF-Exposed Animals.
35. Oxidative stress is a precursor to many of the illnesses and health issues we see today, in addition to DNA-damage.

Lesson 14. Early Symptoms, Electromagnetic Radiation Syndrome and Medical Resources

36. Professional medical training is available through the EMF Medical Conference for self-paced on-line training.
    CHD Wireless Radiation Sickness Gets a New Name: EMR Syndrome
37. Feel free to print this letter to help open this important conversation with your health care practitioners, your schools and your town’s emergency responders/firefighters.
38. The first medical school textbook is now available, Electromagnetic Fields of Wireless Communications: Biological and Health Effects.
39. The Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments Textbook of Environmental Health in Nursing includes A New Form of Environmental Pollution: Wireless and Non-Ionizing Electromagnetic Fields, p. 136-160 (free download).
40. For further scientific information see PubMed.
41. See also EUROPAEM EMF Guideline 2016 for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of EMF-related health problems and illnesses.

Lesson 15. New Developments: Government & Legislation

42. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is responsible for regulating radiation exposure levels, and the agency has been sued for ignoring 11,000 pages of evidence of harm.
43. Following a year-long investigation by highly qualified doctors, scientists, engineers and others, the New Hampshire Commission of legislators issued a final report documenting conflicts of interest with government agencies and the wireless industry.
44. The California Department of Public Health issued Guidelines on How to Reduce Exposure to Radiofrequency Energy from Cell Phones.
45. Louisiana passed a law and developed Digital Device Guidelines to address the negative health effects of excessive screen time, and to restore the balance of human connection, movement, touch, nature time, and proper ergonomics while using screens. A large list of policies is situated on Environmental Health Trust’s page.
46. The French ANFR, which governs radio frequencies, tests exposures and has required tech companies including Apple to fix cell phones that exceed government radiation limits.

Lesson 16. General Guidelines

47. A radiofrequency/microwave radiation detection meter can help you to identify ‘invisible’ radiation. Feel free to see recommendations at Safe Living Technologies.
48. Be gentle with yourself and others, share the facts and keep taking steps toward safe technology! Let us know if we can bring additional training into your schools, workplace or community.